This application relates to the copending application of Duane E. Harrington and Merritt A. Robinson, entitled "Paper Wiring Transport Apparatus and Process", Ser. No. 920,711, filed June 30, 1978.
This invention also relates to a process and apparatus for attaching a wire to a paper and is related to my U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,358, entitled "Cigarette Paper Holder Element", issued July 5, 1977. In the referenced patent a conceptual demonstration of one method of continuously integrating the wire into a continuous sheet of cigarette paper was included. While the method described therein was operably sound, certain problems arise when a device of that arrangement is operated at higher speeds. The process and apparatus described herein comprises an improvement over the device described in the referenced patent.
The apparatus and process of this invention can be utilized for multiple applications in addition to the principal use for installing a wire rolling and holder element into a cigarette paper. For example, the manufacture of common paper covered wire twists for closing bags and tying plants may be accomplished by selection of appropriate paper and wire in the fabrication process.
Since the apparatus is primarily designed to handle light weight paper used in cigarette manufacture and use, the handling capabilities inherent in a wire reinforced paper suggest a new areas of use. For example, the reinforcing wire element in cut paper sections can have a ferric characteristic for use in automated magnetic handling. Medical institutions performing repetitive filtering, staining or blotting tests may find a wire reinforced paper adaption both from the manual and the automated handling standpoint.
As mentioned, the method described in the reference is substantially improved for operation at higher speeds by the innovative techniques disclosed and claimed herein. In the reference, wire is described as being delivered through a guide tube to the assembly bed. A liquid adhesive is supplied to the end of the guide tube. As shown the tube is funnel-like with an inside diameter substantially larger than the wire. In effect, the wire is drawn through a liquid adhesive bath. However, it has been found that at moderate operating speeds, bubbles in the adhesive, surface film on the wire or the surface tension of the liquid adhesive periodically prevent the adhesive from physically coating the wire. When the wire is applied to the paper there is consequently no adhesion along portions of the paper. When the wired paper is cut into segments, the wire may become wholly detached from the paper.